Apparatus for refining oils



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,156

J. PRIMROSE APPARATUS FOR REFINING OILS Filed June 21. 1922 a ta avwemtoz $51 Gum/" o'of-M, IQ/vvv-MW.

Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,693,156 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PRIMROSE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T FOSTER WHEELER CORPORATION,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR REFINING OILS.

Application filed June 21, 1922. Serial No 569,912.

This invention is based upon an improved apparatus or combination of instrumentalities designed and adapted for carrying out a continuous process of refining or otherwise treating oils. Prior to this invention some oils were commonly heated in steel tanks to the desired temperatures by means of highly heated steam, piped through coils in the bottom of the tanks. Under such conditions and temperatures the vapors from the oils and other impurities, as well as any water contained in the oil, were vaporized and drawn off, and as these vapors have little or no value, it has been customary to discharge them directly into a condenser, as the tanks are operated under a vacuum, for the purpose of assisting vaporization.

This method of heating by steam is not necessarily wasteful at its latent heat is utilized, until the temperature of the oil reaches a point beyond which it may not be raised by saturated steam, then it is usual to blow superheated steam directly into the oil from perforated pipes in the bottom of the tank,

and thus heat up the oil to proper temperatures. This method is wasteful of heat because all of the latent heat in the steam is thrown away and wasted, unless some means, such as heat interchangers be employed, and such devices have not to my knowledge been used heretofore. I have sought to improve this process, mainly along the line of economy, and I have found that I may do this to a marked dc ee by heating the oil by the direct heat of a urnace, provided the latter. be of special character and design. In other words, I have demonstrated by heating the oil in a tubular oil" heater or still of special design so as to avoid overheating and circulating the heated oil from the heater to a tank and thence back to the heater, that it is possible to eliminate the use of the steam for heating with far more efficient results and without deleteriously overheating-the oil. By further providing means for directing the heated gases emanating from the heater in and around the oil tank useful heat may be recovered from the waste gases and the efficiency of the unit further increased. Further heat may also be recovered from the waste gases and vapors which are driven off from the-oil itself.

In carrying out this invention I have introduced certain subsidiary improvements in the apparatus which contributes to the general result, and these will be more fully elaborated and described in the specification which follows:

The accompanying drawing is, in the main, a diagrammatic illustration of the complete apparatus. All of the parts or elements are not shown in detail for the reason that many parts are well known in this art and are merely typical of such as are required in carrying out the process. Specific illustration is given only of such elements as are new in the combination.

I employ a tubular oil heater or still comprising a furnace chamber 1, 0. hi h bridge wall 3 and a tube chamber back of t e bridge wall containing a bank of tubes which are protected from the direct high radiant heat in the fire chamber by the bridge wall. The hot gases pass up from the fire chamber and thence downwardly in a uniform streamarid out of the furnace through a duct 5. If desired, a suitable damper 6 may be provided in the duct 5 to regulate the intensity of the draft and hence the intensity of the heat applied to the tubes 4. The tubes 4 are preferably of wrought iron or steel and are provided with corrugated casings 4 of cast iron which receive the heat and distribute it uniformly to the tubes and the oil contained therein, thereby regulating and controlling the transfer of heat to the oil.

In combination with the heater I employ an oil tank 8 preferably mounted in a suitable heat insulated setting 9. The bottomv and parts of the sides of this tank are exposed to the waste products of combustion which pass out of duct 5. After passin underthe tank the hot gases pass out o the apparatus through any suitable stack as shown at 7. Connecting the tank and lower part of the tubular heater is a conduit 10 provided with a suitable circulating pump 11 and having intake openings at points disposed along the bottom of the portions thereof within tank 8.

Oil is withdrawn from the tank and forced through the heater at a sufliciently ra id rate to prevent the overheating of the oil. The flow of oil through the tubular heater is counter to the flow of heated gases therethrough. After passin through the heater the oil is led through a not 12 to a distributing pipe 13 within the tank 8. This distributing pipe is provided with suitable openings preferably at the top thereof to permit the outflow of the oil and liberated vapors at a plurality of points within the tank 8, thereby I thence 1nto a reserve tank 21.

H the heater,

The partially heated oil in tank 21 may be drawn ofi';when desired and supplied to thesuction side of the pump 11 or to the tank 8 through conduit 22. After the process has continued for the desired time, all the treated oil may be withdrawn through a suitable discharge conduit 23 which extends into the bottom of the tank 8.

With certain processes it may be desirable to supply superheated steam to the oil within the tank 8. For this purpose a valved ipe 24 is connected to one of the interm iate headers of the tubular heater which is adapted to permit the introduction of steam from a boiler (not shown) intov the heater. In the heater this steam is superheated and it passes alongwith the oil into the tank 8. The superheated steam thus introduced tends to help to break up the oil and assist in vaporizing and purifying it. The steam in passing through the heater also serves to prevent the overheating and the possible burning out of pipes in articularly those in the upper rows thereof which are subject to the highes't heat. The steam also protects the oil in these pipes from any damaging effects from this high heat. It will be understood that by providing the heat interchanger the latent heat of this steam is not lost but is supplied to the incoming oil.

The system also includes anumber of controlling valves and like appurtenances.

the fire chamber enter the tube other source of heat is required. Experiencehas demonstated the great economy and efficiency of this system,which is rapidly superseding all others in practical use and becoming the standard practice in many oil refineries. L

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An oil heating apparatus comprisinga furnace having a fire chamber and a tube chamber separated from the fire chamber by a bridge wall over which heating ases from iamber at the top and having an outlet for heating gases at the bottom of the tube chamber, a bankof horizontally disposed tubes in said tube chainber, an external tank, a circulating pump and connections between said tubes, pump and tank whereby the pump forces oil from the tank successively through tubes at successively higher levels in said tube bank and thence back into the chamber.

2. An oil heating apparatus comprising a tubular oil heater and an oil tank, means for circulatin the oil to be heated through the heater an said tank, means for directing hot gases over the tubes of the heater and thence under 'the tank, cast iron casing means for protecting the tubes and the oil contained therein against destruction by high heat, means for supplying additional untreated oil to said tank, and means for recovering heat from the vapors evolved from the treated oil.

.In testimony whereof I hereto aiiix my signature.

JOHN PRINEROSE.

ISCLAIMER 1,693,156.-" John Primrose,

Patent dated November 27, 1928.

vNew York N. Y. APPARATUS FOR REFINING OILS. Disclaimer filed October 10, 1929, by the atentee and assignee Foster Wheeler Corporation. Hdi'eby enter this diselhimer to claim 1 of said Letters ::Patent No. 1,693,156,

which claim is in the following words, towit:

1. An oil heating apparatus compnsmg a furnace having a fire chamber and a 1' se arated from the fire chamber by a bridge wallover winch heating I d gsdi dh i lzlie fii' e chamber enter the tube chamber at the top and having an outlei or heating gases at the bottom .of the tube chamber, a bank of horizontally dispose tubes in said tube chamber, an external tank, a clrculatlng pumpand connectiolilifi between said tubes, pump and tank whereby the pump forces oil from thehta successively through tubes at successively higher levels in said tube bank and t ence back into the chamber.

[Qflicial Gazetta october 29, 1929] 

